British Special Forces - Raid On Taliban Bomb Makers

Details of a successful operation by British Special Forces in Afghanistan, late August, have now emerged.

According to a report in the Sunday Express, the SBS, backed by the SFSG and Afghan commandos, raided a Taliban stronghold in Helmand Province.

Acting on intelligence that indicated that the Taliban were using an old fort as a base of operations and a factory/storage facility for a large number of IEDs, the British forces carried out a carefully planned attack.

Inserting by RAF Chinook, the British and Afghani troops infiltrated the area around the fort. As the SBS, operating at full squadron strength of 50+ operators, moved in and assaulted the fort, the SFSG and Afghani Commandos carried out a diversionary attack.

The UKSF operation was supported by Army Air Corps Apache AH1 gunships. Armed with 30mm cannon, high-explosive and anti-personnel rockets and hellfire missiles, the Apache is an awesome close air defence platform. AAC Apaches have supported a number of SBS operations in Afghanistan, as detailed in Ed Macy's book, Apache

Photographed by Adrian Pingstone in June 2008 and placed in the public domain

RAF Harrier GR 9 aircraft also provided air support for the British / Afghan special forces on the ground.